1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cantilever supported sliding shelf structure adapted for use in a refrigerator. More particularly, the invention relates to a shelf structure comprising a separate cantilever supported frame and a sliding shelf, the structure being constructed so that the shelf may be easily removed from the frame for cleaning but, in use, will not inadvertently become disengaged from the frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a household refrigerator, it is desirable to provide vertically adjustable shelves so that the interior configuration of the refrigerator may be rearranged to accommodate different sizes of food at different times. It is also desirable that a refrigerator shelf be capable of sliding horizontally in and out to enable the user to more conveniently reach items on the back of the shelf. Further, it is desirable that such a shelf, particularly a glass shelf, can be easily removed for cleaning but will not inadvertently fall out at other times. For ease of handling, the weight of the part which must be removed for normal cleaning should be minimized through the use of a construction which permits the shelf portion to be separately removed, leaving the cantilever frame attached to its support. A separately removable shelf has the further advantage that the vertical adjustment of the shelf structure is not disturbed during removal of the separate shelf.
An example of a vertically adjustable cantilever slide-out shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,072-Pattison. The Pattison patent discloses a wire shelf structure which provides the features of cantilever support, vertical adjustability, and horizontal slidability. Shelves such as the Pattison shelf are removed by sliding the shelf out until a shelf member contacts a stop projection on the frame. The front edge of the shelf is then lifted until the shelf member clears the stop. Another example of cantilever sliding shelf construction in which the shelf is removed by lifting the shelf to clear a stop is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,484-Kesling. Such shelves do not include the shelf removal means which embodiments of the present invention include, as is more fully described hereinafter.
A related structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,113-Glasford et al., which patent discloses a drawer assembly comprising a series of tracks supported in a frame and a removable drawer guided by each track. The tracks include channels which cooperate with pins on the sides of the drawers to generally keep the drawers on the tracks. Each channel is defined by upper and lower flanges. The pins on the sides of the drawers normally exert upward pressure on the lower surfaces of the upper flanges and are restrained from upward vertical movement thereby. The drawer bottoms ride on the upper surfaces of the lower flanges. In order to facilitate removal of the drawers, each upper flange includes at least one notched opening so that at a predetermined drawer position the drawer pins on both sides are aligned with the notched openings and the drawer can be removed by lifting the rear of the drawer. Such a design has the disadvantage that sufficient weight placed on the front of the drawer when the pins and openings are aligned can cause the rear to tip upward. Of course, placing the slots far enough back so that alignment occurs when the drawer is only pulled out a slight distance minimizes this problem by decreasing the leverage available to cause tilting. However, such an approach could cause manipulative difficulties due to the requirement that the drawer be substantially in the normal, recessed position when the rear is lifted for intentional removal purposes.
By the present invention, there is provided an improved cantilever-supported sliding shelf structure which includes novel means for removal of the shelf from the frame and which prevents inadvertent disengagement of the shelf from the frame due to weight being placed near the front of the shelf.